They are not THUGS!

[SoLeftIAmRight]

Last edited Mon Apr 27, 2015, 09:31 PM - Edit history (1)

They are brave young people who see clearly and live the new American Dream (read nightmare).

They have been shown no better way to express the reality of their lives.

Wake up America - your children are screaming for justice and opportunity.


EDIT - PLEASE READ

I do not condone the lawlessness - I understand it. Seems many here do not. It is my wish that we all could have the best of MLK and Gandhi in us but that is not reality.

Working in the forensic psychiatric unit of one of the largest jails in the world for six years gives one a different perspective.

[HipChick]

1. K&R

[meow2u3]

2. The real thugs are those dirty cops who murder with impunity

THEY belong behind bars, not the young people.

[951-Riverside]

3. +1

[Ex Lurker]

139. How about the cops AND the looters?

It doesn't have to be either/or. Injustice calls for action. But it isn't an excuse to get your wild on. And that's what some of the people out on the streets have been doing.

[merrily]

153. Would you put someone who steals your TV on a par with someone who kills your loved one?

If so, I highly recommend homeowner's or renter's insurance, which will help you replace your exact same TV. Unfortunately, life insurance doesn't exactly do that with your loved one. Even it did, so few families take out life insurance on a teen.

[undergroundpanther]

157. Agreed abusive murdering psychopath cops ugh.

Never could be around them don't trust them.

[madokie]

182. Without a doubt

The real thugs are the murdering cops who murder with impunity

Cops Quit killing our young/old/ black/brown people and this shit will stop and until they do it will only get worse.

Everyone deserves a fair shake and a cop executing them is not a fair shake, pretty fucking simple ACTUALLY

[marym625]

4. K&R

[RandySF]

5. Some of the young people are leaving stored with bags full of stuff.

[SoLeftIAmRight]

6. Almost as sad as...

MURDER by cop

[jen63]

9. Some of their sons, fathers,

brothers, uncles and grandsons have left this place at the hands of the police. I care more about black men being gunned down with impunity than "bags full of stuff."

[realFedUp]

19. Thieves

In the name of opportunity

[morningfog]

10. Good.

[sabrina 1]

116. Wall St pulled off some serious looting, and were rewarded.

And without any excuse, like around 5,000 murdered members of their community by cops since 9/11.

No one likes riots or looting. But wherever people are oppressed, eventually a society will react.

If people don't want to see this, then demand justice for the murdered African Americans by their own supposed civilian police.

[L0oniX]

130. ^^^this^^^ When the 1% loots your retirement funds it's normal operations.

[ram2008]

7. If this is the best way they express the reality of their lives...

Then our generation is doomed. This behavior is unacceptable, plain and simple. Misdirected anger that will accomplish absolutely nothing but further destroy the community.

If they're not thugs, then they're incredibly stupid.

[SoLeftIAmRight]

17. Many in this generation are doomed

are you going to help or join in putting them down.

[ram2008]

20. Robbing a CVS and cutting fire hoses don't accomplish anything

So no, I wouldn't help any of those lowlifes destroying their own community. I will however help anyone willing to build it up.

[SoLeftIAmRight]

24. I will be waiting to here from you

when you do that building

[jtuck004]

88. "lowlifes destroying their own community" < Bank$ters.n/t

[redruddyred]

111. WELL SAID

[Oktober]

33. I'm all for putting criminals down....

Thumbs up..

[romanic]

8. Those young people are NOT apart of the protest.

They're thieves and losers, anything but brave!

[morningfog]

11. They are part of the protest.

A critical part. No news would be there if it were on the peaceful marchers. Peaceful marching is good and necessary, but alone changes little.

[romanic]

15. Right-wingers and racists

are going to lump thhe looters with the peaceful protestors, if they haven't already. I refuse to do the same.

[elleng]

47. And foolish people.

I refuse to do the same, also.

[morningfog]

101. Two sides of the same coin. You say lumping, I say

product of the same disease. Each are expressing legitimate concerns.

The right wingers dismiss and ignore the peaceful protests and call the rioters horrible names.

But look who actually gets people talking. Look who get the news coverage.

[Reter]

85. So why do they break windows of regular cars and stores?

Why don't they limit it to police cars? Because they are shitheads.

[morningfog]

99. Because they are angry.

This society, including businesses and cars, is not working. It is not supporting them. It is killing them.

[CAG]

102. Yeah, that Ford Taurus had it comin'

geezus Christ on a trailer hitch.

Faux news, Koch brothers, republican presidential candidates, they are all looking at this and cheering them on. It plays to everything the right wants.

[morningfog]

103. Like I give a shit what the Kochs think.

Fuck them. This is pure anger. It is a valid emotion in response to oppression and senseless killing. Real people are being killed by the state.

[CAG]

104. You should care; they'll parlay all of this into more repug control of

governorships, state legislatures, senate, house, and presidency.

All they have to do is show clips of this crap over and over again.

[morningfog]

105. I don't care.

This is pure anger and it is justified. It is not my place to judge these valid emotions and expressions of anger. Nor is it yours. It's too bad that senseless deaths and generational oppression are inconvenient to your political comfort.

[CAG]

109. My political comfort? The more the repugs control things, the more we will see

police brutality. I'm all about outcomes, and the outcome of all of this will be terrible. period.

[romanic]

146. Im beginning to think

Some just want the cycle to repeat so more misery and unrest can happen in another city; after all the outrage must go on.

[kacekwl]

113. No it is not

anger. It is thieves seeing an opportunity to steal from a store who has done nothing but serve the community. Those who want to show the anger and disgust with the police will take the time to demonstrate and protest not destroy and give the police the excuse they need to blame the victims.

[morningfog]

114. Silliness.

"Those who want to show the anger and disgust with the police will take the time to demonstrate and protest" Laughable even.

Protests serve their purpose, riots serve theirs. Neither tries to be the other, nor could it be. It's yin and yang.

[kacekwl]

133. What silly

purpose does riots serve ? Could not tell from your laughable response.

[undergroundpanther]

165. I hate the kochs

I hope someday they are forced to pay for what they have done. In the most painful way.

[CTyankee]

176. This is nothing new...I was watching TV this morning and thinking of the violence during

the French revolution. We don't learn from history...

[ChisolmTrailDem]

107. CNN just reported on social media comments that were alleging that

the violence began because white people were calling protestors "n******" and whites protesting with blacks "n***** lovers" and some of those white people were in their cars shouting those insults as they drove by and finally some of the black people had had enough and started pulling them out of their cars and roughing them and their cars up. It all escalated from there, with help from the Baltimore PD harassing kids as they left the high school and, after having rocks hurled at them, hurling those rocks back at the kids.

[merrily]

154. In part, I agree. In part, this is something like saying women should dress more modestly so they

don't play into the hands of people who encourage rapists.

The grievous wrong is what I will call, for want of a better term, vigilante policing. It kills people for no good reason. People who are totally innocent. People who are guilty of a petty theft or not being "obedient" enough. Not of that is worthy of a death sentence.

And, at some point, a community gets terrified, especially for its youth, but also for itself, and angry and breaks some store windows and maybe takes some stuff. Yeah, both halves of the equation are wrong, but one is provoked murder and one is a crime against property that was provoked, although perhaps not by the specific property owner. There is a difference.

And, btw, if every person in the USA behaved like the model offspring of Goody Two Shoes and Pollyanna, the Koch brothers and their ilk would still do the exact same shit. They are about money and power, not social issues. Social issues do not affect them. They affect only the 99%.

The onus is, and should be, on society to fix this, not on the victims. Federal, state and local government needs to stop militarizing and mindlessly defending and protecting the LEO. Unions need to start making distinctions between when the thin blue line is appropriate and when it is contemptible. And so on. We may not be able to fix hearts and minds, but we can sure as fuck punish murder.

[undergroundpanther]

162. No truer words said

And this society culture sick with consumerism,corrupted by capitalism,ruined,robbed by the 1% destroyed by lust for profit, it's killing them, it's killing me,and these property defenders whether they see it or not it's killing them too. They are too comfortable and invested in this sick way of life to realize it yet,that's why the property damage and looting freaks them out, it afflicts the comfortable. The killing of black people,mentally ill people, Native Americans,transgender and gay people the targets of asshole cops must end. Fuck the cops and the sick culture that supports them.

[undergroundpanther]

163. They are not shitheads

They have put up with too many shit heads and cannot get away from them. They are deeply furious in despair,and have lost hope.

[VScott]

12. But, they're "brave" thieves and losers and arsonists

You forget arsonists.

[still_one]

158. Not only that, they are prevent fire engines from putting out the fires. Brilliant. Those looters

and arsonists are not doing any favors for the community.

[elleng]

43. Right. Thank you.

[BlueStater]

13. Burning down a store and stealing its merchandise is "brave"? n/t

[SoLeftIAmRight]

48. living in that are is brave

you live in a gated community?

[realFedUp]

14. They are criminals

You steal something, you are a criminal forever.

[SoLeftIAmRight]

30. If you are not part of the solution...

you are part of the problem.

What do you do to help?

Sit at your computer?

[cwydro]

35. You are actually funny.

Pretty sure I know your motive here.

Nothing more to say.

[cwydro]

56. Bless your heart.

So you know, dear, personal insults are frowned upon here.

But, we understand sometimes that's all ya got.

[realFedUp]

63. Maybe you should be more clear?

[GGJohn]

71. My, my,

resorting to personal attacks now?
Those are not brave young people, they're nothing more than criminals who are taking advantage of the good people of Baltimore who were protesting peacefully.

[cwydro]

84. Thanks GG.

I never alert, but eventually this poster will learn (or so we can hope lol).

[GGJohn]

89. I didn't alert either,

but it was a well deserved hide.

[still_one]

159. Yes, the motive is flame bait, and maybe there is more to the name than meets the eye.

[realFedUp]

39. R u kidding me?

Your logic is all emotional
Come back when your brain is working.

[still_one]

160. Or at least share with everyone what he is on

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

52. Dont worry, there are more good people than bad...we got your back

[Travis_0004]

55. Is burning down a building a better solution.

[safeinOhio]

68. I don't know.

Dumping tea in the harbor is how this nation began.

[840high]

140. Once more - what have you done?

[redruddyred]

115. yes, this is how we have set up our justice system.

and it's stupid and counterproductive.

[Texasgal]

16. I'm sorry.

I disagree. They are thugs. Looting stores for fucking toilet paper does NOTHING to help the issue.

[Yallow]

118. And Doing Nothing After Innocent Person After

Innocent person, after innocent person is murdered also does nothing to help the issue.

Thugs are the pigs on Wall Street who use their power to rob millions, steal houses, and
have the government protect them, and their wealth from the people they made
homeless.

The poor get arrested.

Jamie Dimon's of this world steal far more, and get nothing
but bigger and bigger yachts!!!!

Now who is worse?

A looter of a Jamie Dimon?

Only one will go to jail, and it won't be the rich dude.

[GGJohn]

129. Oh, well then, I guess this makes alright for these criminals to riot/loot/destroy.

[Yallow]

147. The British Called Us Worse

Sometimes some things need to change.

Peaceful protests change diddly squat.

These people have been oppressed for 160 years.

Can you blame them?

Not like they can go get jobs.......

[still_one]

161. Of course. This whole thread is flame bait

[Mike Daniels]

18. Given they disregarded the requests of the family

And are engaged in the destruction of property of people who had nothing to do with the actions of the police I'd say thugs/criminals is a pretty accurate descriptor.

[SoLeftIAmRight]

23. What else is the family to say?

Burn it down - burn it all down

[Mike Daniels]

40. I'll take the family at their word.

They live in that area. Why would they secretly want a bunch of people who have no productive solutions to burn down the neighborhood or city?

[SoLeftIAmRight]

42. I am sure that I was not being literal

Bless them if they have no anger

[madokie]

21. The thugs are the ones

carrying the batons and riot gear not the people who have had it up to their ears in murdering cops killing and getting by with it
ENOUGH

[muntrv]

22. No sympathy for the looters from me. They are as bad as the police who killed Grey.

[BlueStater]

25. By the sounds of many posters here,...

...if you're against businesses being burned down, thus costing dozens of people their jobs and ruining their lives, a bunch of people who had zilch to do with Freddy Gray being murdered, you must not care about cops killing people.

This place is so idiotic sometimes I can't even believe it.

[Skittles]

110. it's called a lack of critical thinking skills

very commonly seen on sites like the freak republic

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

181. In the words of Alfred, "some men just want to watch the world burn."

They have been waiting for the "revolution" for a very long time and will latch on to anything that they perceive to be advancing that.

[merrily]

152. Who did looters kill?

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

26. The white privilege group wont ever get it, they live lives of privilege and refuse to see.

And they will be MORE to blame than the cops and the oligarchs for making excuses for violence against the entire AfAm community

[undergroundpanther]

169. Privilege blinds

Privilege unquestioned is ignorance,and this ignorance directed at the looters rioters is pernicious,
I'm not all white but I look white, but I grew up poor,I always felt awkward in all white gatherings,when I moved to Baltimore I met all kinds of people and felt a kind of peace there. I felt at home.Years later I had to move but I will never forget Baltimore and the wonderful people there. The homeless guys I hung out with,my gay and transgender friends,tons of people. I used to fight for gay rights black gay rights,and rights for those with mental illness. I would move back to Baltimore if I could. It's unique.and there are places there where you can momentarily escape the grind poverty,stress,consumer/capitalism and cops put onto your life. Radical people who are deep,who are intelligent,kind,caring creative as hell,fun,they are there in Baltimore. Out in Cecil county where the population is more white Christian Right,I see none of the acceptance,creativity,kindness,or depth of thought like I knew in Baltimore. I miss Baltimore a lot because I miss the people. And I hope to Sekhmet none of these people I know ever get shot or hurt by a goddamn cop. The cops are huge assholes in Baltimore and will harass you for talking if you are talking to a black guy,or a transgender black lady, or you happen to have a an unusual appearance. You are not loitering either,the cop just wants to bully people.

[cwydro]

27. We all got to see the "brave young people"

driving into the mall lot, getting out of their cars with bags, going in and taking what they wanted.

There was even a traffic jam getting out!

[SoLeftIAmRight]

29. and you sit at your computer while the problems of our world build higher and higher

What brave thing have you ever done?

[cwydro]

32. I'm sorry, did you forget the point of the thread?

Do you want to talk about me?

Or the brave young people running out of the liquor store with cases of liquor?

They are truly brave. Yes, Sadly, I'm ashamed to admit that I've never been brave enough to loot a store.

I hang my head in shame.

[SoLeftIAmRight]

36. Do you want to hear some wise words?

It is a good thing that it is equally illegal for both rich and poor to beg for food.

[cwydro]

37. Oh dear. nt

[redruddyred]

119. probably does require bravery tho

even if not v admirable.

[GGJohn]

126. That's not bravery,

that's being a criminal.
There's nothing brave about stealing liquor or looting a business.

[redruddyred]

177. requires nerves of steel to know the consequences but do it anyhow.

would not willingly choose a career in crime. I'll bet many criminals don't like it much either.

[GGJohn]

179. Nerves of steel?

I think not, these thugs and criminals knew the cops were going to be swamped and knew the chance of getting caught were negligible.
I LOL when someone says these punks are brave, they know nothing about bravery.

[redruddyred]

184. wasn't referring necessarily to baltimore. nt

[Throd]

34. Let's hope for the full Dresden then. The bigger the better!

(sarcasm)

[still_one]

164. You definitely have to be clear about when it is sarcasm, especially reading some of the posts

if not advocating violence, are coming close to it

[GGJohn]

73. Same thing you're doing, sitting at your computer posting nonsense.

What brave thing have you ever done?

[840high]

141. What have you done?

[realFedUp]

28. How many of those young black men hope for athletic scholarships?

Any thieving will change that.

[F4lconF16]

66. Yeah, because black men can't go to college without it being for athletics.

[840high]

143. Get real. From a poor

community for a lot of the young men that's the only w ay.

[Oktober]

31. Bull... Fucking... Shit...

What a load of pandering bullshit.

Bunch of NIMBY in this thread...

[Vattel]

41. Yes, let's give them a medal for arson, assault, and theft.

[hrmjustin]

44. Sorry but rioting and looting is wrong.

[SoLeftIAmRight]

50. yes - it is wrong

that is not my point

Chris Hedges make it clear that we need a true revolution.

and you sit at your computer

[hrmjustin]

53. As do you.

[SoLeftIAmRight]

57. I sure would not be throwing rock at pigs

even the one who would give a second thought about shoot unarmed citizens.

[hrmjustin]

59. ok.

[romanic]

54. And what are you doing at your computer?

Levitating?

[SoLeftIAmRight]

62. Looking for Florida property about 30 feet above current sea level.

Going to be a farmer.

Be well

[Marengo]

86. That doesn't seem very brave.

[romanic]

144. Good for you.

Lets hope looters don't come down to your future farm. Unless the ocean waters get to it first.

[Logical]

79. LOL, you are really pretty clueless. When tomorrow, citizens without transportation....

do not have a local CVS you can call them and tell them you think it was a great idea to burn it down.

[SoLeftIAmRight]

83. big jump from my point

i think you did not read my post

[cali]

46. sorry, bullocks and by conflating the looters and burners with the thousands who

protest peacefully, you insult them.

[SoLeftIAmRight]

51. you would not walk those streets at night

at what point are you going to get up from your computer?

[cali]

60. You try living with what I live with

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Complex_regional_pain_syndrome

The past 3 years since the accident and surgeries that caused this have been indescribable.

[hrmjustin]

61. I am so sorry cali.

[cali]

64. thanks

I try to find something meaningful out of this pain.

[hrmjustin]

67. Can they control it?

[cali]

69. not so much

Been through drug after drug, spinal nerve blocks and more. Exercise and opiates are where I am now.

Thank you so much for asking.

[hrmjustin]

72. You are in my thoughts and prayers.

[cali]

76. you are so kind. thanks

[GGJohn]

75. So sorry about your plight cali.

[cali]

77. thanks so much, john

[dmr]

100. Cali -

[cali]

95. you attacked me knowing nothing about me. I responded. you ran away. YOU

are the opposite of brave.

[GGJohn]

96. He can't answer you cali,

he's been locked out of his own thread.

[cali]

97. good

du is just pitiful tonight

[still_one]

167. That is the problem that a few cannot seem to understand

[doc03]

49. Yes they are n/t

[applegrove]

58. People breaking the law are not the demonstrators. Maryland

community leaders all agree. Do not gather the actions of a criminal few with the 10, 000 peaceful protesters. That is GOP meme.

[Yallow]

121. And Peaceful Protesting Changes Sooooooo Much

I think I am gonna puke.

There is only one thing that matters in this country.

It is the right of the .01% to pile trillion upon trillion
of their untaxed profits into Swiss bank accounts.

A couple poor folks in Baltimore have had enough.

It's amazing the fires haven't started sooner.

[shireen]

70. "brave young people who see clearly ..."

by destroying their own communities?
i don't understand that.

[donco]

74. They're thugs. nt

[Yallow]

123. You Ever Been Beaten By Police Donco?

Didn't think so.

No go back to your happy life, and hope the next innocent person
executed by police isn't your son, or brother.

[GGJohn]

127. I have, and it still doesn't change the fact that

these were criminals looting and destroying businesses.

[Yallow]

148. After Their Families Have Been

Looted, oppressed, and enslaved. Kept from voting, and
kept from getting credit, and kept from even buying houses
in other neighborhoods for over a century.

They were acting out in justified rage.

Sorry to have to tell it like it is.

When your only option is cradle to prison, I can't blame them.

Can you?

I know, I know. If your work your ass off and take on 100K in student loan debt,
you might be one of the lucky ones and someday at least make enough money
to pay of your student loans, and have at least $20 to retire on. That is if
you are super lucky.

[Logical]

78. Wow, well the life long resident of Baltimore who is also the black female mayor disagrees with you.

[brooklynite]

82. As does the 70-odd year old black veteran (Robert Valentine) interviewed on CNN

[GGJohn]

92. Ummmm, I think he was agreeing with you. eom.

[markpkessinger]

80. Riots and looting are a symptom . . .

. . . not of any inherent criminality on the part of participants, but rather of a breakdown in the belief that the very system of "law and order" any longer has any legitimacy whatsoever. And frankly, who could blame these folks for believing that the system of laws and the criminal justice system has lost all legitimacy? They continue to see one unarmed black man after another senselessly killed by police, and nearly always without police facing any accountability for those deaths. There have been peaceful protests all over the country, and they have yielded absolutely nothing by way of substantive reform. For these folks, the very notions of criminality or legality have ceased to have any real meaning. And how can we possibly expect these folks to think otherwise?

All of this pearl-clutching in the world about 'violence' and 'lawlessness,' all of the scolding about the use of "constructive' tactics to achieve desired ends, and all of the lecturing about the ineffectiveness of rioting as a means of achieving those ends -- all of these are completely and utterly irrelevant once the point of rioting has arrived. At that point, it is a raw, collective rage that takes over. And at this point, who can argue that the rage is unjustified?

Yes, it is true that riots are probably ineffective, and likely even counter-productive. And yes, they often wind up hurting the very communities whose rage they are expressing. But to lecture people from the sidelines about the need to 'make better choices' in how they go about venting their rage is not only pointless, it likely only acts as an accelerant to it.

[VespertineIconoclast]

135. Astute comment.

Thank you for your very thoughtful and eloquent post. There is nothing more to add because you said it beautifully. Kudos!

[Mike Nelson]

90. Violence...

...is not the solution.

[Mike Nelson]

91. ...and let's hope...

...the death toll is low.

[Yallow]

124. And Peaceful Protesting Is?

How is life on your planet Mikey?

[GGJohn]

132. Yes, it is.

How's life on Fantasy Island, Yallow?

[Yallow]

149. So Peaceful Protesting Is The Solution?

I just want to know who is your dealer.

If you can't write million dollar checks to "politicians" your
voice means nothing.

Show me where I am wrong.

What did occupying change?

Nothing.

They were peaceful, and they changed nothing.

Nothing will change until the billionaires fell what Freddie Gray felt.

To be treated like garbage, and thrown in a van when they needed
a doctor.

[Yo_Mama]

93. Well, the mayor of that fair city disagrees with you.

A lot of the people on the street this afternoon and tonight were acting like thugs.

Mayor Rawlings-Blake called them thugs. This situation is degenerating quickly.
http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2015/04/27/umb-closes-early-due-to-potential-rallies-threats-in-baltimore/

[Mira]

94. Lack of hope

and fearing a future without it creates destructive despair.

Ever since Ferguson, and the problem of the murder of young black men continuing nationwide - now with the illumination of many lights and cellphone cameras upon it - the riots in Baltimore were to be expected.

[Major Hogwash]

98. Those white cops were caught on video killing Gray. And then the Mayor says, . . .

. . . these people are thugs.

Yeah, right!

No wait, they're "outside agitators".

Yeah, right!

[Yallow]

125. Exactly

The Baltimore Mayor makes me want to puke.

It is her cops that killed that kid.

It is her cops that treated him like trash
when he needed a doctor.

[jwirr]

106. Agreed. We are hearing another well worn police phrase here. "Out of town adgitators who are

thugs". We heard it in Ferguson MO also. I think they use this to justify violence against the people is it is used. That way they can deny they were talking about local children.

[SMC22307]

108. This guy is.

I'm happy to see one of them helped by the non-thugs. Didn't find a pic of the other guy... hope he's OK.

?w=940&h=691

I've watched the video of Freddie Grey being arrested... I cringe because you can see the tremendous pain he was in. It's heartbreaking to watch his family, especially his twin sister. But looting and setting fires (and cutting the fucking fire hoses) are NOT going to rally those you need to your cause.

[redruddyred]

117. I agree, but I think the argument is

people are mad and have ceased to give a crap.

[SMC22307]

122. I'm mad, too.

Police aggression. The bullshit "war on drugs." Stolen elections. The unconscionable Iraq War and destabilization of the Middle East. Carefully orchestrated Wall Street "crises." Job-killing trade agreements. Threats to the social safety net. Never-ending greed.

I enjoy a good protest, believe me, but I'm not setting fire to low-income senior centers.

[Yallow]

128. What Have They Got To Lose?

When your life is despair......

No jobs.

No hope.

No chance.

[GGJohn]

134. Yeah, and looting and destroying your own neighborhood just

makes things soooooo much better.

[SMC22307]

136. What have they got to gain?

What do you think the end result will be? The long-term results?

Ever been to a city like DC to see the aftermath of the race riots? How many decades has it taken for those parts of town to come back? And they're coming back through gentrification...

[Yallow]

150. What If It Was Beverly Hills That Burned

And Not Watts?

This time it will be different.

There are far more people that realize it is hopeless, and getting
more hopeless every day.......

The Pitchforks Are Coming

You didn't hear it from me, you heard it from a billionaire.

http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/06/the-pitchforks-are-coming-for-us-plutocrats-108014.html#.VT8gVpNGSr8

[redruddyred]

178. I will say this

you take enough abuse, and self-control goes out the window.
I thinking specifically of women who murder their abusive partners, but I'm seeing a case for political and economic oppression too.
they may simply be criminals.
then again, maybe just really, really mad.
more sympathy for this lot than those losers at the pumpkin fest riots.

[Catherine Vincent]

112. They may not be thugs but they are definitely a bunch of idiots

nt

[MrMickeysMom]

120. I understand it, too…

We (the collective we) have only ourselves to blame for not doing our homework and demanding the things we are only now hearing about…

Demand the type of police enforcement towards the best outcome (community policing)

Show up at local meetings for education and other local government. Demand to know how your tax dollars go towards providing BOTH.

Draining funds away from public schools infuriates me and is a large part of this problem. Defunding education for all helps no one and hurts all of society.

Demand justice and reparation for PoC in this country.

Stop the fucking racism everywhere. Don't know where it is? Then, get your head out of your ass, America.

[Yallow]

131. You Can Show Up Anywhere You Want

But if you can't write a million dollar check
you will never be heard.

We live in a lootocracy.

Some folks in Baltimore are tired of being looted, and they
are doing a little looting of their own.

[MrMickeysMom]

172. lootocracy...

So far, the only real place to show up is in the social media, since young persons have given up voting, and a lot of us seasoned voters have given up.

I still say everyone should try, and having failed that effort (e.g. Baltimore) be smart in how they stand up when speaking truth to power.

The most they can do to you has already been demonstrated. They'll kill you.

[Ex Lurker]

138. Perhaps you missed the young African American man being interviewed on MSNBC

across the street from a store being looted. He did call them thugs.

[akbacchus_BC]

142. I agree with you!

When young unarmed black people are killed by the police, it makes you wonder. Are they fit to serve and protect?

And when the police kill young black youths for no reason and black folks riot, it is lawlessness.

We in Canada broke stores, put fire on police cars for a hockey game when our Canucks lost. That is a poor comparison. However, rioting gets change! Not all of us are like MLK or Gandhi, those two were stalwarts for progressive movement, but their ideals will not work in the modern world. It is all about power now! People are just supposed to shut up and go with the status quo. You know what, we are becoming the enemy that we are fighting! And I even do not know who the enemy is! Maybe it is us and we should just let people deal with their problems and stop interfering.

[Yallow]

151. We Know Who The Enemy Is

The Koch Brothers, and All Their Friends.

[akbacchus_BC]

156. Not really, they are the bottom feeders

who help the status quo to get elected for their own benefit.

I really wished there was electoral reform in America so that no candidate could get selected because a corporation is funding their campaign. That is a massive issue with elections in Canada also!

[NobodyHere]

145. The looters and rioters are thugs

They are not brave young people.

The real heroes were the ones peacefully protesting.

[akbacchus_BC]

155. You should not be on here!

That is all I have to say! You probably had nothing to fight for, lived a life of privilege and now you come on here and think you are a hero. People riot for change buddy. Do you think the Apartheid system went away because blacks sat down and say come get me. They rioted and change occurred!

Folks like you with low posts do not impress me much, but you have to start somewhere and alas, your post sucks!

[still_one]

168. Who are you to tell people who should or should NOT be here, and because they have a low post somehow

that somehow justifies your logic.

[grossproffit]

170. WTF? Not everyone is able to post here 24/7.

Also, not everyone that disagrees with you was born into privilege. Many of us worked our asses off to get out of the hood.

[Travis_0004]

171. I would aasume most people were rioting for free shit

They saw it as an opportunity to get free stuff and have fun.

[GGJohn]

175. And who the fuck are you to say who shouldn't be here?

Say, weren't you a low post count member at one time also?

[cwydro]

183. Hey, You don't get to tell people what they can or cannot post.

And every single one of us started with 1 post.

That was kind of a jerky thing to say, ya know?

If you disagree, then fine. But wtf does a post count have to do with it?

[GusBob]

185. Wow

[Lil Missy]

166. Yes, all those participating in the looting and rioting are THUGS.

[Red Knight]

173. No--they're thugs.

If anarchy is the new accepted rule of law than there is no law, not for the victims of the police, not for the victims of the looters, not for the victims of anyone. Self destruction is no answer at all. And if you're being completely honest--thugs will look for any excuse to loot and rob. The members of the Crips and Bloods who want to kill cops--are they...heros?

No.

There is nothing wrong with peaceful protests. But this is a losing game.

Trying to twist this into some sort of heroic crusade is a sad effort to excuse criminals.

Allowing them to burn Baltimore to the ground is not justified because of the police.

By all means--peaceful protests, demands to hold those responsible for Freddie Gray accountable for their actions--yes. That's what a CIVILIZED society does. If you want anarchy than a whole lot of innocent people will get hurt. And who takes responsibility for that?

Who is held accountable for that?

The police? That's just delusional.

It's asinine reasoning.

It's insanity.

[NM_Birder]

174. brave ? throwing liquor bottles at firemmen ?

[DrDan]

180. the ones I saw last night were absolutely THUGS - vandals, thieves and THUGS

"brave young people" who burn a senior center, loot and vandalize a mall, plunge knives into fire hoses, vandalize, steal, loot, terrorize . . .

THUGS